Saving The Bay: Bay In The Balance (1906 - Present)

Airs Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 11 p.m. on KPBS TV

The Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco skyline through the fog.

Credit: Courtesy of KQED

Above: The Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco skyline through the fog.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Narrated by Robert Redford, this award-winning documentary explores one of America's greatest natural resources – San Francisco Bay. Shot in high definition, "Saving The Bay" consists of four one-hour episodes focusing on the geological, cultural, and developmental history of San Francisco Bay and the larger northern California watershed, from the Sierra Nevada mountains to the Farallon Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

The founders of the Save San Francisco Bay Association, (L to R) Esther Gulick, Sylvia McLaughlin, and Catherine Kerr.

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Credit: Courtesy of Save the Bay Archive

Above: The founders of the Save San Francisco Bay Association, (L to R) Esther Gulick, Sylvia McLaughlin, and Catherine Kerr.

Between 1965 and 1969, a groundswell of public support gave the growing environmental movement one of its earliest victories with the establishment of the Bay Conservation and Development Commission.

Enlarge this image

Credit: Courtesy of Save the Bay Archive

Above: Between 1965 and 1969, a groundswell of public support gave the growing environmental movement one of its earliest victories with the establishment of the Bay Conservation and Development Commission.

The series explores the Bay’s evolution, how it was almost lost to development, and plans for the future, including wetland restoration, increased public access, and balancing the often competing needs of a fragile ecosystem that is the centerpiece of a major urban area.

"Saving The Bay" also tells the story of three women who rallied an entire region to save San Francisco Bay from becoming little more than a river, an inspirational example of how ordinary citizens can have an impact on protecting and enhancing our natural environment.

Episode Four: "Bay In The Balance (1906 - Present)" - In the final episode, the very survival of the Bay is threatened by the postwar boom. Viewers are introduced to the leaders of the Save The Bay campaign of the 1960s and the birth of the national mass environmental movement. As the Bay Area looks to the future, the issue becomes how best to balance the competing demands of a major urban center set amidst an environmentally significant landscape.

"Saving The Bay" is on Facebook.

Video

Saving The Bay: Threats to San Francisco Bay: Climate Change and Pollution

Above: Human activities have shaped San Francisco Bay, and will also determine its future. Climate change is altering patterns of snowmelt and winter runoff in the watershed, while accidents like oil spills release large quantities of toxic chemicals into the water, threatening wildlife and water quality. For more information, go to: http://education.savingthebay.org/threats-to-the-bay/

Video

Saving The Bay: San Francisco Bay: A Unique Estuary

Above: San Francisco Bay is a unique, biologically productive estuary due to its size, scope and Mediterranean climate. For more information, go to: http://education.savingthebay.org/a-unique-estuary/

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